A Preliminary Investigation of the Feasibility of an 8-week Mindfulness Program for Weight Loss Maintenance

Objectives: Over 70% of adults in the United States are overweight or obese. Weight loss is often recommended to improve overall health and risk of disease. However, weight regain is common and diminishes initial health improvements. Mindfulness-based interventions are a novel approach to mitigating weight regain. In this study, we aimed to investigate the feasibility of a mindfulness intervention to prevent weight regain in weight-reduced adults. Methods: Women (age: 40.2±10.8; BMI: 28.3±4.3) who achieved 7% reduction in body mass within the previous 2 months were enrolled in an 8-week mindfulness intervention (N=10). Body mass, body composition, and appetite traits (via the Three-Factor Eating Inventory) were assessed at baseline and 8-weeks. Satisfaction was assessed at the conclusion of the intervention. Results: Retention, adherence, and satisfaction with content, meetings, and weight loss maintenance (measured via Likert Scale) were favorable (70% retention; 89.3±13.4% attendance; satisfaction: 9.25±1.5; 9.25±1.5; 9.5±1, respectively). Additionally, weight loss was maintained following the 8-week mindfulness intervention (−0.04 ± 3.3% weight change). Lastly, dietary restraint (pre: 11.7±4.1; post: 12.7±4.5), disinhibition (pre: 6.3±4.4; post: 6.6±4.8), and hedonic hunger (pre: 3.7±2.6; post: 2.9±3.8) were stable. Conclusions: Mindfulness interventions are feasible and potentially efficacious approaches for short-term weight loss maintenance. Future trials that include matched controls and longer-term follow-up are needed.